Oxford United Apologises for Controversial 'United 93' Clothing Line

Oxford United have been forced into a swift and public apology after launching a new clothing range featuring “United 93” on the back – the call sign of one of the planes hijacked during the 9/11 attacks.

The club said the design was intended to reference their founding year, 1893, but admitted the range had been released “without understanding of the historical context and associations”.

United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked on 11 September 2001 and crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 people on board. The flight, believed to be heading for the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, became widely known after passengers attempted to overpower the hijackers. The tragedy was later depicted in the 2006 docudrama film United 93.

Oxford United, formed in 1893 as amateur side Headington and now playing in League One, had used “United 93” branding on items in their Campus Clothing range. Once the connection was highlighted, the club moved quickly.

In a statement, Oxford confirmed the line had been pulled from sale and expressed regret over the mistake.

“The Campus Clothing range has been withdrawn and we sincerely apologise for the error,” the club said. “It should not have reached the point of sale and we take full responsibility for not undertaking proper due diligence.

“We have removed the collection with immediate effect and are reviewing our approval processes to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

The 9/11 attacks saw 19 Al Qaeda members hijack four commercial airliners in the United States. Two were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, bringing both skyscrapers down. Another struck the Pentagon, near Washington DC. The fourth – United 93 – crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

In total, 2,977 people were killed and tens of thousands injured on a day that reshaped global politics and security.

Oxford’s mistake, born from a simple nod to a founding date, has instead reopened memories of one of modern history’s darkest days – and left the club promising it will not repeat it.